Combined broadcast and unicast delivery
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a media stream from a content provider at a unicast server and at a broadcast server, the media stream comprising a plurality of media stream fragments;
introducing a transport-type streaming delay into the media stream at the broadcast server, wherein media stream fragments transmitted from the broadcast server are delayed relative to media stream fragments transmitted from the unicast server, the media stream including a first fragment transmitted from the broadcast server after it is transmitted from the unicast server;
wherein the unicast server is operable to store the media stream fragments received from the content provider, and wherein the unicast server is further operable to provide the stored media stream fragments to the user device upon request;
wherein the transport-type streaming delay corresponds to a designated number of the media stream fragments transmitted via unicast and broadcast; and
transmitting the media stream fragments to a user device, wherein the user device is operable to switch between receiving the media stream fragments from the unicast server and the broadcast server without interrupting a presentation of the media stream on the user device.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are techniques for facilitating combined broadcast and unicast delivery of content. According to various embodiments, a media stream from a content provider may be received at a unicast server and at a broadcast server. The media stream may comprise a plurality of media stream fragments. A relative delay may be introduced into the media stream at the broadcast server such that media stream fragments transmitted from the broadcast server are delayed relative to media stream fragments transmitted from the unicast server. The media stream fragments may be transmitted to a user device. The user device may be operable to switch between receiving the media stream fragments from the unicast server and the broadcast server.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
receiving a media stream from a content provider at a unicast server and at a broadcast server, the media stream comprising a plurality of media stream fragments; introducing a transport-type streaming delay into the media stream at the broadcast server, wherein media stream fragments transmitted from the broadcast server are delayed relative to media stream fragments transmitted from the unicast server, the media stream including a first fragment transmitted from the broadcast server after it is transmitted from the unicast server; wherein the unicast server is operable to store the media stream fragments received from the content provider, and wherein the unicast server is further operable to provide the stored media stream fragments to the user device upon request; wherein the transport-type streaming delay corresponds to a designated number of the media stream fragments transmitted via unicast and broadcast; and transmitting the media stream fragments to a user device, wherein the user device is operable to switch between receiving the media stream fragments from the unicast server and the broadcast server without interrupting a presentation of the media stream on the user device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system comprising:
-
a unicast server including memory, a network interface, one or more processors, the unicast server being configured to; receive a media stream from a content provider, the media stream comprising a plurality of media stream fragments, and transmit the media stream fragments to a user device; and a broadcast server including memory, a network interface, and one or more processors, the broadcast server configured to; receive a media stream from a content provider, the media stream comprising the plurality of media stream fragments, introduce a transport-type streaming delay into the media stream, wherein media stream fragments transmitted from the broadcast server are delayed relative to media stream fragments transmitted from the unicast server, wherein the unicast server is operable to store the media stream fragments received from the content provider, and wherein the unicast server is further operable to provide the stored media stream fragments to the user device upon request, wherein the transport-type streaming delay corresponds to a designated number of the media stream fragments transmitted via unicast and broadcast, and transmit the media stream fragments to a user device, the media stream including a first fragment transmitted from the broadcast server after it is transmitted from the unicast server, wherein the user device is operable to switch between receiving the media stream fragments from the unicast server and the broadcast server without interrupting a presentation of the media stream on the user device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing a method, the method comprising:
-
receiving a media stream from a content provider at a unicast server and at a broadcast server, the media stream comprising a plurality of media stream fragments, each of the plurality of media stream fragments being transmitted by both the unicast server and the broadcast server; introducing a transport-type streaming delay into the media stream at the broadcast server, wherein media stream fragments transmitted from the broadcast server are delayed relative to media stream fragments transmitted from the unicast server, the media stream including a first fragment transmitted from the broadcast server after it is transmitted from the unicast server; wherein the unicast server is operable to store the media stream fragments received from the content provider, and wherein the unicast server is further operable to provide the stored media stream fragments to the user device upon request; wherein the transport-type streaming delay corresponds to a designated number of the media stream fragments transmitted via unicast and broadcast; and transmitting the media stream fragments to a user device, wherein the user device is operable to switch between receiving the media stream fragments from the unicast server and the broadcast server without interrupting a presentation of the media stream on the user device. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
Specification